tylerhodgson699

My cherokee keeps over heating. My rad has a tiny leak in it? but if you run it for 10 minutes or less its wayyyy hot.

I have changed the thermostat, took the belt off and the water pump pully seems to be free and spins easy..but could the water pump still be bad? I know I have to replace my rad so I'll just relocate it in the back but I dont know if the rad is my problem? The rad isnt plugged or anythhing, but with the tiny leak i didnt think it would overheat that fast. Any ideas?

Programbo

Is it actually hot or is the gauge just saying it is hot?

parkerbabco

does the thermo kick in at all?

tylerhodgson699

Its definitely gets hot.



Im sure the thermostat is working. The heater blows hot air. Any chance there is a bypass on it?

reddragon72

you already gave away what is wrong. fix the water leak. On our engines and V8's the smalled water leak will led to overheating, cause the pressure from the water is released before the right pressure is meat(that is what the cap is for and then your engine is way to hot already). I had a tiny leak in my radiator drain plug and I was overheating all the time. Add to the fact that air will get sucked into the system from the overflow bottle due to the water loss. So get that leak fixed ASAP!

the 4.0 is a tough engine, but even it can only withstand so much before it gives.

tylerhodgson699

I know its tough! Last time i overheated it oil was bubbling from the valve covers..no joke.

I think we're putting a rad in the back this weekend. I hope you're right and it fixes out problem.

fivendime

Dont expect your radiator to be good. I thought mine was good till I pulled it out today and took it apart. I was only overheating a little bit on steep hills and high speeds. The thing looked like it had a pound of dirt run through it. You can check my thread about installing a 3 core radiator I JUST posted.

tylerhodgson699

Pulled mine out and i knoww mines junk. No one around here had a rad for a cherokee so my buddy has a Dynasty sitting around that we're going to take the rad out of

ltlgreenXJ

yeah, be careful running those 4.0s really hot. my friend who had my xj before me had to replace the head because his friend drove it with low coolant for a while. it got so hot it actually warped the head and he had to have it replaced. just fyi.

fivendime

Mine got hot enough to vapor lock at the injectors. NO FUN

tylerhodgson699

This is just our mud jeep, nothing special.

Mud runs coming up April 26

fivendime

Thats the best place for it then, in the back that is. Thats where we put ours on our race jeep...an old CJ

tylerhodgson699

Im thinking just running my hoses through the floor into a pipe under the jeep and then hoses back up front to the fire wall? I just dont want hoses running in the jeep incase once ever did blow

fivendime

We used steel pipe from just behind the motor to just before the radiator out back. I would try to run as long of a solid "hose" as possible.

tylerhodgson699

Yeah, Id hate to get a stick trhough the hose and ruin my day